2o8 DAVENPORT ACADEMY <>K NATURAL SCIENCES. 



Mow grand thy course, and how august thy birth: 



CJod said " Let there he light," and suddenly 

 Light followed the behest; the heavens, the earth, 



The thronging universe, were full of thee; 

 Thy disc blazed luminous, and light went forth 



Willi swift diffusion, over land and sea; 

 The morning stars sang rapturous at thy rise, 

 And dungeon darkness changed to Paradise. 



This morn thy face through mists was faintly gleaming; 



The hot meridian saw thee conquest-crowned. 

 'Tis eve. And now thine eye is softly beaming, 



Throwing long shadows on the broidered ground, 

 And mellow floods of golden rays are streaming, 



Bathing in joyous lustre all around; 

 Till by thy smile to this poor earth is given 

 A rich reflection of the hues of heaven. 



The sky is crowded with magnificence 

 To grace and illustrate thy short adieu; 



Deep orange is the horizon, from thence 

 Stretches a lengthened belt of saffron hue, 



Bordered with streaks of violet intense, 

 Attenuating gently into blue; 



While in the east a line of silver light 



Proclaims the coming of the Queen of Night. 



Far round the boundless prairie sinks and swells 

 With long, low rolls, like a subsiding sea 



Which, by strong magic and most potent spells, 

 Congealed in all its waves, has ceased to be 



A thing of ebbs and flows; these hills and dells, 

 Clothed with luxuriance, flourish steadfastly, 



But at this hour the varying landscape seems 



To borrow motion from thy shifting gleams. 



The genial atmosphere is full of halm; 



A Sabbath stillness reigns o'er hill and dale; 

 Save when the grouse with soft wings fans the calm, 



Or with sharp whirrings springs the startled quail, 

 Or where yon small bird pipes his evening psalm; 



The nearest house seems like a distant sail; 

 The bland air vibrates to no human tone, 

 With peace and solitude I am alone. 



Yet not alone! the spirit hath a dower 



Of dear remembrance, safe from time's attack, 



A sacred treasury, and there is power 



In the warm smile of Nature to call back, 



Through the bright vistas of this sunset hour, 



Those who have wandered with us o'er life's track, 



Whose hearts are founts of purest sympathies, 



And love right fondly such a scene as this. 



They come in spirit from that distant shore, 

 The mother-land which late I called my home; 



That seagirt isle which I may see no more; 

 But 'tis a bliss to know, where'er I roam 



That neither lapse of time, nor tempest's roar, 

 Nor constant washing of the salt sea foam, 



Can sunder soul from soul, while they may still 



Drink kindred draughts Irom Nature's gushing rill. 



